As a successful online and IT Training & Career Certification company ourselves, we're often approached by people wanting to start web-based businesses - asking us for our experience and expertise - and what it takes to actually become a successful web designer, developer, master or ecommerce expert.
Because people are fed up with the constant barrage of online internet marketing guru rubbish peddled daily: The 'courses' and 'insider knowledge' which promise one-stop, one-click button solutions. And these people expect you to believe that their solutions can actually provide you with a proper business or online income - a successful online alternative to paid employment for just 'one low payment', no real effort of course - because they detail everything step-by-step that needs to be done - you just have to follow their easy plan and your bank balance will explode...
But this seems to belie the basic facts: That if it was that easy then any successful business person would tell you they'd have ten, a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand people doing that repetitively day-in, day-out. If that was all it took to make a few thousand dollars per month - then they'd have a thousand people doing it a thousand times over to make millions, and they'd be paying only a fraction of that in minimum-wage salaries. People need to understand that it can't be that easy - logic and common sense dictates that it isn't - but people hang on to these dreams and ideas - hoping that it might work, something might happen, something might come of it - but the truth is - it can't really. These marketers are just dream-peddlers; they sell to those of us who're at the end of their tether and are desperate for a chance at something else. But they're hollow promises, and the results never come.
This 'push-button' idea/instant gratification culture is infecting people's minds. It pushes people farther from the truth that knowledge needs to be acquired and refined. It's incredibly naive to expect to build an online business - without understanding the business itself and some technical aspects of the industry.
There are a lot of individual skills to learn, and steps required, for you to build your own online business. And it's going to involve a steep learning curve - especially during the first year. So honestly, if you're not prepared to take the time to learn those skills, practice and implement them, and then put in the effort required, then you may as well give up now and save yourself all the money and worry.
The internet has now become the fastest growing area of business on the planet. Millions of web-pages, sites and business offers are coming on-line now - with everyone seemingly jumping on the bandwagon to make money online. Thousands of new hopefuls flock to the internet daily, creating sites that sell someone else's products or service, or building their own 'products', or creating some social/blog site to attract people that they can advertise to. And 95% haven't got a clue what they're doing, and will most probably fail, blaming the economy or circumstance or Google or whatever. But the truth is: they weren't prepared, trained or even aware of the complexities they were going to have to face.
Training programs can provide the foundation-intermediate skills to open the doors to the possibilities. But they cannot (and do not realistically set out to) teach you 'everything'. Courses that claim this are lying - the field is simply too vast and covers far too many areas. Plus, it's not necessary - you don't need to understand everything - just enough of each skill to implement it and understand it's impact. Then you can choose to increase your knowledge in the areas that are most important to you and your business efforts. But, with any specialisation, there needs to be sufficient background and 'bigger picture' knowledge to enable a complete understanding of where things fit.
All these ideas are not new; we're not saying anything that any good teacher doesn't repeat regularly. But, because of the huge internet marketing wave that is building globally, and those seeded and encouraged dreams of finding a 'short-cut' to success, we're simply being blinded by the hype.
Stop, and consider in the cold light of day, whether the claims of these gurus and sales companies really rings true. Look at the dishonesty and lack of ethics inherent in the global internet marketing industry; with so many 'faceless' companies and hidden people operating behind the scenes. There have been endless scandals over the last few years where big name internet marketers have been proven to not just be out for themselves - but to know they're actively lying and cheating to make money. The industry perpetuates a myth that goes to the heart of people's insecurities and desire to break out of their boring, repetitive, everyday jobs, and seek some form of individual expression - by earning their own way in the world, not reliant on any other person or company.
Please, for your own sake; stop believing the hype, take responsibility for your own future, learn the skills required to operate as a professional, and commit the time and effort required to elevate yourself above the crowd - and thus provide yourself with the best possible chance of success.
Michael Jordan said "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." But being in the game and giving it everything you've got is Step 2. Michael knew that Step 1 is: Acquire the skills & pay your dues. We all know this at some level. Why not listen to the voice inside and really start to take those first steps to a better future. We can't and won't promise you'll be a super-success - but we can promise you'll have massively increased the odds in your favour. And at the end of the day, that's what it's all about!
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." Benjamin Franklin